Ninja Gaiden: Legendary
by Safer Alexander
Summary: An ancient evil has risen, shattering dimensions and causing Ryu to arrive somewhere new. On another hand Ryu faces an internal struggle. The curse of his demon blood is seductive and powerful as is his dragon blood in combating it. Will he succeed? Or will he accept his demonic fate and turn coat? Find out here. Takes place before Naruto returns. Possible RyuxHarem.
1. Chapter 1: The Sacred Wilderness

"Again!"

"Hmmf! Hmmf!"

The young protégé of the strongest Ninja in the world trains in the sacred wilderness of the Mt. Fuji terrain. His instructor, Jo Hayabusa, watches his student intently, taking in the fluidity of his movements and the strength behind each swing of the katana that is gripped firmly in his hands. The young warrior is Ryu Hayabusa, the 16 year old son of Jo Hayabusa. Though many teenagers of the modern era tend to exhibit rebellion and whimsical thinking, the young Dragon Ninja was raised in the entirety of spiritualism. Meditation on the name helps him channel his ki and above all, helps him maintain his sanity should it venture too far from his being. Whilst the strength of his training was portrayed in the finely sculpted body that appeared to have been cut out of marble, his will was not too far behind. As he has been told constantly, Ryu has a demeanor of a man far older than himself. He is a Dragon Ninja of the Hayabusa clan, his responsibility to the world is a significant aspect of a Hayabusa Ninja. The Hayabusa clan has descended from the divine Dragon Gods of ancient; Created by the omnipotent creator of creation himself, Gurdu. As a result of his heritage, Ryu tends to exhibit a calm and tranquil nature, and is always eager to learn new techniques to perfect his deadly art.

"Enough!" Jo Hayabusa exclaims, Ryu's emerald eyes immediately lock onto his fathers. He promptly sheathes his sword and gives his mentor a respectable bow.

"Excellent work Ryu. Your technique is nearing mastery. Perhaps the day I entrust you with our ancestral heirloom is but a hairstrand away." At this comment, Jo Hayabusa smiles as he notices how his son's eyes lit up in excitement. Even though Ryu is a notably wise and philosophical young man, he is still an aging teenager, and so his ties with his childhood have not yet been shed. The young Dragon Ninja has always dreamed of carrying the indestructible Dragon Sword in his hands. It has been passed down in his family since the finding of the Hayabusa clan by the Dragons of old. Ryu trains to become a stronger ninja so that one day, he may be able to carry that weapon and face his destiny.

"Thank you father." Ryu smiled as he began to walk over to his father.

"Come. Let's head back to the village and get something to eat, I'm sure you're famished." Jo playfully slaps his sons back as the two begin to descend the mountain toward the Hayabusa village. Ryu sheds his mask and ties his long brown hair in a ponytail before striking a conversation with his Father.

"Father, did you ever hear back from the CIA. What did they say?"

"Ah yes, thank you for reminding me. It appears that an underground satanic cult known as Will O' Wisp, has been causing a ruckus around these parts." Ryu raises a brow at this.

"Will.. O' Wisp?" he replied questioningly.

"Yes. They worship the fiends. The Will O' Wisp has connections with the NUKPANA. You remember them don't you son?" Ryu nods as his eyes narrow.

_How could I forget?_

"Yes. I'm surprised their faction continues to reside here. With the incident in Mokujin City, a wise retreat would do them good." Jo cracks his neck in place and his face lowers into a frown.

"Indeed. The NUKPANA are a bunch of psychotic, money laundering fools with too much time on their hands. Instead of wasting money in the pursuit of a lost cause, they should focuse on rebuilding their village." Ryu's eyes shift to the ground before he replies.

"They have always hated us, jealousy spurring from these abominations that flow in our veins."

Jo Hayabusa turns his attention to his son, slowing his walking pace in the process.

"Ryu. The pursuit of power is a winding road of tribulation. Strive too far and you cannot retrace your footsteps, run before you can walk and you cannot even see the path. Be relaxed and resist any temptations. Guru is our creator and master. He creates all whether it is good or evil. There are those who choose to live in light as there are those who choose to live in shadow. Shadow must remain where it always is, in the wake of everything." At the last word of the sentence, Jo slightly lowers his pitch. Ryu stiffens slightly as his statement conjures up moments of that frightening day. That eventful, spiteful day.

_The forest is dense. Brush covers every nook and cranny of sight and an eerie fog descends upon the vicinity, giving a fear evoking below zero visibility. _

_Screams and bellows are heard, as warriors of the NUKPANA are slashed beyond recognition; their blood splattering the brush with a red acrylic like paint. The bringer of "Justice" is a young adolescent ninja of 12 years. He bears the dragon lineage insignia on his back and his long signature brown hair hangs limply with dried blood covering its roots; no doubt from his fallen enemies. His yellow, feral eyes lock with his enemies and send shocks of fear down their spines. The young Dragon Ninja slashes his last victim's midsection in half, the crossection clearly visible to an unfortunate spectator who is yet alive._

"_No! Stay away from me you fucking demon!" _

_The young ninja strides forward in a slow, hypnotizing manner. H__is sword is lowered as blood and gore drips down the blood groove onto the forest floor of the battlefield._

"_P-Please. I..I-I don't want to die!" The man exclaims in mind-numbing fear as he backs into a tree. _

_The Ninja pays the man no heed as his yellowish pupils constrict and his face bears a scowl, a look of resentment that would make the Jashin himself turn a cheek._

_He finally replies, "Fool! You should have thought about that before you conjured those abominations and killed all those people!" With a clank, the Ninja readies his sword and prepares to finish the job._

"_You! You can't do this! You're a protector not a destro-"_

_The man is abruptly cut off with an impalement carrying power of colossal magnitude; His katana is shoved through the conjurer's mouth, the tip of the blade passing through the other end of the tree. After a dead silence, The young ninja relentlessly withdraws his sword and promptly sheathes it. He steps back to inspect the damage. The man bears a horribly contorted look on his face and blood continues to ooze out of his mouth, the mere action causing muscles spasms throughout his body and horrific gurgling sounds coming from being drowned in his own blood. The man gazes at his killer's face as his last seconds approach. Tears stream down his face and onto the Dragon Ninja's boots. The young ninja's face is shrouded by the bangs of his long brown hair and clearly feels no remorse. After the death of the NUKPANA grunt an eerie silence ensues._

_Eventually, Rain begins to fall at a startling rate washing the blood off of Ryu's armor and weaponry. As time passes lightning ensues and covers the battlefield in short bursts of radiant light. In the short elapses of illusory sunlight, Ryu's face is revealed, His irises now bearing a reddish hue and a bloodthirsty smirk now covering his young face. The blood rushing through his body pounds in his ears as all rational thought begins to leave him. Ryu turns around and begins to walk away. Then in an instant he sprints towards his victim and drives his foot into his upper skull. Shattering the head into pieces and leaving merely a jaw. The horrific onslaught ends, in the worst fatality imaginable..._

"_RYU!"_

_The Dragon Ninja immediately snaps his neck to the direction of the voice. The mere action almost giving him a whiplash of an epic proportions. __He sees his father standing in the black of the forrest with a shocked look on his face. Time stands still and the only thing Ryu can hear is the hard beating of his heart, like a wardrum before a pre-emptive stike. Father and Son locks eyes for what seems like eternity; Each registering the mutual pain and confusion that is read like an open book. Eventually Ryu shifts away, his eyes drop, an emotional revelation hitting him like a stampede. His demonic blood pools to the pit of his soul, leaving his body in the form of bloody tears. Before long, Ryu's eyes once again return to their vibrant, shining emerald. The young ninja starts a running pace toward his Father, eager to be saved from the abomination of his demonic blood._

_As he walks forward he realizes that he is in a small room, and his Father is nowhere to be found. Ryu stands staring at the wall that once seperated him from his Father before a startling sound causes him to turn around in retaliation of fear. _

_A door is swung ajar and maniacal laughter is heard. Ryu readies his sword, as tears stream down his face._

"_FATHER!"_

"RYU! WAKE UP!" The voice of Jo Hayabusa is heard.

"...!" The Dragon Ninja's emerald eyes dart around in confusion. He finds himself standing at the edge of a hill, looking down towards the Hayabusa village alongside his Father.

"Are you alright?" His father states with worry in his voice.

Ryu blinks and momentarily replies, "Yes. Sorry Father I am alright."

Jo Hayabusa nods and gestures his son to follow him. The two begin to descend the hill as the commotion of the village begins to escalate in sound.

_**Author's Notes**_

Tell me what you guys think! I always wanted a story like this. I paticularly didn't like Ninja Gaiden 3 that much so I wanted to write a story that explored more of his humanity from a past perspective. When he was a legit teenager lol. He is a wise badass like everyone says but everyone is carefree and goofy in their teenage years. I want this story to be a proper approach to someone's humanity. Just who was Ryu Hayabusa before he was a Super Ninja? As always REVIEW PLEASE! I need your opinions people! This is my first fanfiction and any plot ideas or other ideas regarding Naruto will aid me. I need to start watching Naruto Shippudden again haha! Oh btw, Jashin is the name of the Archfiend aka Satan of hell. Peace out!


	2. Chapter 2: The Hayabusa Village

Ninja Gaiden: Legendary

Chapter 2: The Hayabusa Village

The two Hayabusa Ninja finally arrive home. Ryu says nothing about his nightmarish encounter with his past. It is quickly brushed aside as he is met with a sight for sore eyes. The Hayabusa village. The crown of his people and full of such vibrant energy. Even though it has dealt with its problems in the past, and is not most luxurious of places to live in, it is something entirely different. Everyone loves and appreciates one another; Not something you would expect from the most violent of ninja clans to ever exist. Ryu always feels revitalized everytime he sets foot in his village. He feels a strong connection with each and every member, and feels proud to be able to protect it. Because of this mentality, Ryu's exploits are reknowned even at the age of 16. Many respect the young Dragon Ninja's power, and even the morality of the boy underneath the ninja mask. As the Ryu begins to walk into the heart of the village alongside his father, he finds great pleasure in breathing in the delicious aroma of freshly cooked fish, the laughter and talk of the villagers and fellow shinobi, and a nearby blacksmith, hammering away at red hot metal to forge a new Hayabusa style sword. The villagers turn to notice the return of Ryu and his father and all greet the Dragon shinobi with smiles and nods of acknowledgement. In the distance, Ryu sees a small group of children gathered and giggling madly at whatever wild antics they had done or thought of. Three young shinobi break away from the group, Ryu instantly recognizes them and smiles. As if they felt Ryu's presence the three turn towards Ryu and their eyes light up.

"Hey Ryu's back!" the oldest of the group, Akira exclaims.

The other two Hachiro and the kunoichi Keiko beam at the return of the Dragon Ninja. The group runs to the Dragon Ninja's side at lightning speed.

"Ryu what did you learn today? Did you learn any cool techniques? Please you have to teach me!" Akira speaks up first.

"No way teach me Ryu-sama! I want to be as strong as you!" Then Hachiro.

"Um….Ryu-sama, do you think you can train me also?" Lastly, Keiko.

Ryu raises both eyebrows and chuckles in amusement before responding.

"All in good time kids, you have to get older first if you want to receive the training I receive. Make sure you focus on eating right so you can grow." Ryu lovingly parts Keiko's hair causing her to go beet red, and ruffles Akira's and Hachiro's hair.

"Hai!" the young group agrees with their living inspiration. Jo Hayabusa chuckles, watching the scene before him.

"_It's good to see you stay true to your humanity my son."_

Jo Hayabusa walks over to his son and proudly drops his hand onto his broad shoulder.

"Ryu. I'm going to head back home. Feel free to spend a little time with the townfolk and soak up the sunshine."

Ryu grins and nods causing Jo to promptly laugh and shake his head.

_Still a kid I see._

"Sigh…..its a beautiful day today. There is nothing better than a good day of training in the cool mountains and the heat emanating from the sun in these warmer climates." Ryu stretches his arms after his father's departure and lowers his solemn guard.

"It does damn good for these muscles." Ryu begins to walk further into the village, looking at his village in pride and joy.

"What should I do? I have to cherish this free time I have before more training." He folds his arms in concentration, as he contemplates his next move.

"Ahh I know! I'll visit Kureha. I have not seen her as of late." Ryu sets his plan in motion and begins to head to the Dark Dragon Shrine. However, before setting on towards his destination his stopped by someone yelling behind him.

"Ryu-kun! Hello!" Ryu turns his head toward the sound of the voice and notices a man wearing a white headband followed by a blue kimono and tan slacks.

"Ahh! Hello Fuma! How have you been?"

"Good good! And yourself?"

"I'm doing great. I just arrived with my Father from an entire day of training."

_Fuma is like a godfather to Ryu. When his Father was called for assistance outside the village Fuma would take care of the boy. The two would spend their nights sitting by campfires after fishing trips; Fuma would tell the young ninja about his adventures as a ninja and then subsequently as a fisherman._

"Haha you Dragon Ninja are so fully of energy. Day in and day out." Fuma chuckles as begins to pick up a sack of fish that he has caught from the river near the outskirts of the village. Ryu notices the numerous bags scattered around his shop and grins.

"I can see that you were successful in your endeavors. That famine was one of the worst we have suffered from." Ryu walks over to Fuma and helps him carry the bags inside the shop.

"Thank you son. And yes! Thank god the river is flowing again. Those fools up north had sucked the land dry after building that dam. I'm glad you and your father settled the disputes." Fuma states as his voice slightly escalates from lifting the heavy weight and setting down in the storage room of the shop. Ryu follows suit with his own and sack and walks back into the main room of the shop.

Ryu smiles, "Haha we are glad to help. I'm happy your business is doing well. Good luck to you."

"Same to you."

Fuma cleans the countertop of his shop with a thankful smile on his face. He blows the dust off of the counter and subsequently puts the rag into his side pocket. After giving much thought to his position, Fuma turns around and places his hands on his hips.

"My oh my, look at you, every day you are growing into a fine shinobi. I'm sure your father will pass on the Dragon Sword to you in due time." Fuma chuckles.

Ryu rubs the back of his head in embarrassment from the praise.

"Haha do you really think so? I have been looking forward to the day when I can harness its power but at the same time feeling slightly anxious about the responsibility I will have to face."

Fuma walks over to the sink to clean his hands from the remnants of fish oils and dirt from a hard days work.

"Ah don't worry about that. I'm sure you'll be a fine recepient of the Dragon Sword. Why, even now you're showing signs of surpassing your father! And at such a ripe age! Slow down a little son! Take time to enjoy your years because they won't last forever haha."

Ryu smiles in compliance.

_Thanks Fuma. You've always been a great friend to me._

"Thank you I will. Well, I must be going now, I have business to attend to."

Fuma turns from the sink to dry his hands.

"Haha I'm sure you do. Take care Ryu!"

Ryu waves goodbye and exits the shop. He continues towards his destination: the Dark Dragon Shrine.

After a 20 minute trek, courtesy of scenic viewing, Ryu finally arrives at the shrine. He slides the door open and peers inside.

"Hello? Kureha?"

No response.

"Hmm…Well she must have already returned. The sun has almost set after all."

Before leaving, Ryu decides to inspect the shrine from the shrine is small in size; The walls are lined with sutras and sealing spells to repress the dark power of the Dark Dragon. But even in its most restrained form, the inmense power can taint anyone's heart. Ryu's eyes trace the contours of the blade which hangs on the wall opposite of him, more purposefully dwelling on the red scriptures that seemed to glow with the light shining into the shrine from above. Ryu notices that the writing begins to glow brighter. The red glow vertically warping the air around it. It is then that he notices a shrill sound in the air. The sound could be made out to be a disembodied voice. As each second passes by it slightly begins to escalate in sound. Eventually it twists into a horrific full blown scream that pierces Ryu's ears causing him to drop to one knee. A scream of a woman. The room seemed to shrink as the distance between the Dark Dragon Blade and himself begins to lessen. Sweat begins to form on his forehead. Ryu's eyes begin to shift between his shining emerald hue and a feral yellow colour. His blood feels like it is being stirred and mixed with a foreign acidic substance. The feeling begins to sharpen as if shards of glass travel through his veins, causing him to feel pain throughout his entire body. His blood pressure rises and an intense heat coats his body, making it difficult to breathe air.

_You cannot hide…._

Ryu gasps and suddenly the pain and shrill voice stops. A dark silence falls over the small shrine. Ryu can hear the ringing in his ears after his ears readjust to normal sound levels. Sighing he opens his eyes and they are once more emerald. All of a sudden, a horrific demonic creature with yellow eyes superimposes the glow of the dark dragon blade and launches itself toward Ryu; Its eyes exhibiting hatred and malice. The figure passes through Ryu, as an ghostly apparition. The scream is once again heard only it begins to distort and amplify to a higher pitch. Try as he might to cover his ears, the screaming would not stop. Ryu opens his eyes and finally notices that the source of the scream is infact himself. His eyes widen, before his eyebrows and face horribly contorts into a demonic scowl. He punches a hole through the side of the building, perfectly shattering the bedrock.

_A malevolent chuckling is heard._

Ryu yells in irritation and anger as his heart rate once again quickens. He breathes deeply, savoring every breath like his life depended on it. Finally, Ryu calms and lowers his arms to focus his energy; as if he is pushing an invisible wall away from below. His eyes bleed as the Fiend in him sleeps. Ryu grips his face.

"It's becoming worse. I will have a chat with Father tonight about this." His eyes narrow and he tightly clenches his fists. He then realizes his objective.

"Oh I almost forgot! Kureha. I need to see her." Ryu begins to retrace his steps. He takes one last glance at the Dark Dragon Blade, before heading outside.

_Disgusting Abomination.. _

He wipes the blood off his face and angrily throws it on the ground. After calming his nerves, Ryu exits the shrine.

"The sun has already set. How long was I hallucinating?" Ryu ponders.

"I might as well stop by Kureha's anyway. I came all this way, she is always happy to see me." Ryu smiles and begins to head toward Kureha's residence. He quickens his pace has he enters the path leading to the house. Eventually he arrives and slides the door open.

"Hello?"

Ryu calls but no one answers. The house seems cold, the polar opposite of its usual warmth from the hearth that is always burning. Ryu's looks around quizzically before hearing chatter coming from the bedroom in the laywardside of the house. He removes his boots near the entrance and investiages. As he travels down the hall, he notices a woman crying and other people trying to comfort her.

"What is going on?" Ryu arrives at the door and knocks on it two times.

"Yes?" Harumi, Kureha's mother answers. Ryu can hear the emotion in her voice.

"Hello Harumi, it's me Ryu, can I come in?"

"Oh my dear Ryu, yes please come in."

Ryu opens the door and finds Harumi sitting, with the lesser shrine maidens. Ryu frowns from seeing her beautiful countenance replaced by a pale wetted face. Her tears continue to fall and damp the wood beneath 's eyes lock with Ryu's. She feels the concern and compassion coming from Ryu simply by gazing into his endless sea of green. Eventually Harumi loses control and gets up to embrace Ryu tightly. Seeking his warmth and compassion up close. Ryu returns the gesture and brushes Harumi's hair with his hand.

"Miss Harumi, what is the matter?"

"Ohh Ryu, its Kureha. She has been missing for hours!"

Ryu's eyes widen.

"What?"

"She went into the forest to gather medicinal herbs but has not returned. No one can seem to find her anywhere. I fear she has stumbled to deep." Harumi continues to sob.

_I knew it. I couldn't sense her energy anywhere._

Ryu calmly pulls away from Harumi's embrace and wipes her tears with his thumb.

"Don't worry Harumi. I promise you that I will bring her back."

Harumi feels a burden being lifted from her shoulders. She sighs in happiness and closes her eyes.

"Thank you."

"Pwease save my sister Ryu-chan" A young Momiji sits in the lap of one of the other shrine maidens. Ryu smiles at the child and nods.

"I'll be back shortly" With that last statement, the Dragon Ninja dashes out with his combat boots and teleports with lightning speed towards the forest.

_**Authors Note**_

Any form of criticism is appreciated! I'm a new writer. Just entering university of washington for the first time to carry on my ambitions lol. Please be sure to review and write! Its what keeps me motivated!

-Soul

**EDIT: For all the questions regarding when the crossover will occur, Be patient my friends. I promise it will happen soon. Your reviews keep me motivated so keep em coming! Thanks!**

**-Soul**


	3. Chapter 3: Where's Kureha?

_**What's up everybody! I'ts been a while since I updated this story, sorry about that. College has been a motherf**cker to deal with. SOOO much work. But here is a chapter to make up for it. Also, alot of people have been asking when the crossover will happen. My answer is please BE PATIENT. Remember, this is a story, what kind of story would you read if you didn't have a little insight before hand to the events leading up to the big shakedown? A load of class a bulls*it is what. Come onnnnnn peeeps chill! Jeez...**_

_** It'll happen in chapter 4 cough* cough* WHO SAID THAT? Anyway here it is and as always tell your friend's mother's grandparent's fiance about the story. SPREAD THE WUURD! THANKS!**_

_**Chapter 3 Point of No Return**_

The moon has now completely risen in the sky and hangs above the Hayabusa Village coating it in its luminescent light. Usually such a beautiful night would represent a time of peace and serenity but for the Hayabusa clan, it is its darkest hour. Hours of constant search have brought up nothing. Kureha has mysteriously disappeared putting the entire world is in jeopardy. Without the shrine maiden's power, the Dark Dragon's power leaks and infects the world like a plague, seducing those to seek its power. There is no doubt the clan will come under attack, unless Kureha is brought back to the shrine so that she may resume her duties to not only her clan, but the entire world. At the clan leader's residence, Jo Hayabusa sits questioning the shrine maidens about the circumstances behind her disappearance. Ryu appears at his side with his mask in his left hand; his eyes downcast from his failure. Harumi sits with her daughter Momiji customarily in her lap. Harumi consoles her as she continues to sob quietly, fearing for the worst.

"Around what time did she leave for the forest?" The head Hayabusa inquires.

"She was last spotted when the sun was highest in the sky. She left on the basis of securing remedial herbs for the village's stockpile."

After Kureha, the shrine maiden Keiko takes charge. She is the tallest and oldest of all of her peers, having an athletic build and standing at about five feet nine inches with auburn coloured hair spiking past her shoulders. (Think Yuna from FF 10-2) She was Kureha's mentor, during her special training to harness her gift of spiritual repression. The power to suppress the Dark Dragon Blade was her final task, to which she adamantly succeeded. Now she serves as second in command should things go awry, and at the particular moment, they are as such.

"I see….. Ryu." Ryu raises his eyes after his name is heard.

"Are you absolutely certain that you found no trace of her?" Jo Hayabusa inquires.

Ryu sighs and hesitantly replies, "I looked for hours but I could not find a single trace of her. No tracks or anything of the sort. The dogs could not trace her scent either." Ryu's eyes lock with Harumi. Harumi gives Ryu an understanding sympathetic smile causing Ryu to turn away guiltily.

Jo Hayabusa nods and returns his attention to Keiko, "I understand the significance of Kureha to this village and by my word we shall bring her back safely."

The head Hayabusa than focuses his attention on all the shrine maidens, "I hope you all can cover the slack in Kureha's absence. I pray you have not become too dependent on her abilities."

"Yes Hayabusa-sama." The shrine leaders reply in unison.

"Keiko. Please look after the village in our absence, we are counting on you."

"Don't worry Hayabusa-sama. I assure you the village is in good hands."

"Good. You may all go now and rest. We will begin in the morning." Jo Hayabusa states.

As the shrine maidens begin to leave Ryu glances at Momiji out of the corner of his eye. Momiji catches his line of sight and mouths the words 'You promised' before she departs in Harumi's arms.

Ryu narrows his eyes toward the ground sorrowfully and gets up to leave for some fresh air.

"Where are you going?"

Ryu halts in his tracks and turns his head to the side before fully turning to face his father. His father's look bore through him like a hot knife through butter. It felt a little violating to Ryu but he knew this meant serious business and that he was about to have a serious conversation with his Father.

Jo Hayabusa gestures a 'come hither' motion with his hand urging Ryu back inside. Ryu nods and steps inside, closing the door behind him.

Jo turns from Ryu towards the window and folds his arms "How have you been feeling?"

Ryu hesitates quizzically for a minute before replying "Perfectly alright, is there a prob-"

"Do not ever lie to me." Jo Hayabusa now faces Ryu, his eyebrows furrowed in anger.

"Now tell me again. What is troubling you son?"

Ryu tried to speak but no words would come out of his mouth. What could he say to his father? Earning his pride was one of his life goals as he matured through adolescence, yet he still clung on to this ambition as if it were a relic; never forgotten, and always kept perfectly persevered and secret.

"It has worsened hasn't it?"

Ryu's eyes widen in shock to what his Father was implying. Lying to his Father would serve no use here, so he decided to come clean.

"I'm afraid so. The nightmares have become more intense. I find trouble sleeping through the night as my mind continues to wander and voices plague my head, never ceasing their incessant chatter. My psychological health continues to decline…."

He trails off noticing that his Father now has his eyes closed.

"But I assure you! I am perfectly fine otherwise!"

Jo opens his eyes and chuckles, "Ryu. You carry too much of the weight of the world on your shoulders. As a Dragon Ninja it is your sworn duty yes, but never think that you are alone in this matter. We Dragon Ninja draw our power from each other, unification is our greatest strength."

Ryu's eyes widen as he ponders his Father's words of advice and chooses his response carefully.

_Father, you are not ashamed of me?_

"Father. I understand. Our people have always thrived as one, and I am aware of our strength in numbers. However, this is something I must do on my own."

Jo Hayabusa nods in response and begins to walk toward his office in the back of the Clan Leader's residence. Sounds of rummaging can be heard in the back before the Head Hayabusa emerges with an object wrapped in a black cloth.

"Take this."

Ryu eyed the black cloth curiously before staring back at his Father. "What is it?"

Jo held out the object to his son, "Open it and see."

Ryu untied the knot that held the black cloth to the mysterious object. It came apart and fell to the floor, revealing a beautiful black and gold sheathed ninja sword. Ryu's eyes widened in surprise. His hands traced the slick gloss of the scabbard before resting on the handle itself. He unsheathed the weapon with lightning speed and examined it further. The hand guard was constructed to look like an ancient dragon that circled the blade. In the middle of the black braided handle, there appeared to be some sort of mystical gemstone. As Ryu held the weapon higher, the stone refracted the light shining in a multitude of rainbow like colours. The blade itself was cold and smooth to the touch, and as sharp as a dragon fang.

_Could this be?_

"To answer your question, no, this is not the Dragon Sword."

Ryu sheathes the sword and nods in complete understanding. With his internal struggle continuing to plague his mind, accepting the Dragon Sword would not be a wise choice as the sword could possibly reject him and destroy him instantaneously.

"This is the Dragon Blade; The spiritual counterpart to the Dragon Sword. Originally, it was never used as a weapon, but more of as a ceremonial sword for purifying rituals. Although not nearly as powerful, its spiritual properties will help you with your internal struggle by purifying your spirit."

"I see." Ryu responds solemnly.

"Ryu, ultimately, the power to vanquish your demons lies within yourself. The sword is merely a conduit for your power." Jo points to the stone in the hilt of the sword.

"It draws its strength from you. Meditate and train with it to harness its power."

"Thank you Father, I will use it well."

Jo observes his son's countenance. He knew he was half-expecting the weapon to be his Dragon Sword, but he must explain the danger and consequences of using the Dragon Sword as he is now. However, Ryu responds first.

"This is probably best. I may have the physical strength to wield the Dragon Sword but I do not yet fully have the mindset. I am sorry if I disappoint you Father."

"Son. You have been far from a disappointment. You have grown up to be an excellent Dragon Ninja. I am very proud to be your Father."

Ryu smiles at this. A full smile from ear to ear. "Thanks…..Dad."

Jo Hayabusa smiles in response. A knocking is heard at the door, interrupting their Father and Son 'bonding'.

Jo Hayabusa turns his head to the side, "Who is it?"

"Hayabusa-sama, there are people here to see you. They say it is urgent and cannot wait." A voice is heard on the other side of the door.

"Send them in." Jo replies.

The door slides open and a man of African American descent, fully clad in a black trench coat and black shades enters the room. He has a completely shaved head and his mouth is creased in a frown. Two more people subsequently emerge to his left and right. The man on the left wears red colored glasses with blonde hair that falls like fringed curtain to one side of his face. He is also dressed in black and carries a suitcase with him. On his right stands a woman with a similar appearance. She has short, smooth blond hair and is dressed in a brownish leather outfit with a green jacket.

The man who entered first, presumably the leader, speaks.

"Hello Master Hayabusa, I am Joseph of the United States CIA's Paranormal Phenomena Bureau. I come representing the country with a request for help." He gestures to his wingmen, "These are my subordinates Leonard Lew and Irene Lew."

Jo Hayabusa folds his arms and replies in fluent English, "You have come at a bad time. I am sorry but I must assist my own people first. Surely you understand."

"Yes. But please, let me explain." Joseph halts the veteran Dragon Ninja before removing his shades and pocketing them.

"Our data suggests that over the years you have faced the NUKPANA, an elaborate gang of fiend worshippers, now classified as a terrorist group by our administration."

Jo's eyes narrow, "Yes, they have been minor nuisances in the past but nothing that we cannot handle."

"I see. Well unfortunately, things have taken a turn for the worst. Since they have spread and globalized, they have become a much larger threat. My splicer Irene managed to hack into their database and discover something of immense importance to you."

Jo Hayabusa raises a questioning eyebrow, "Go on."

"To put it simply, the clairvoyance stone." Joseph solemnly adds.

The head Hayabusa responds disinterested, "What of it? Its power has been diminished and no longer poses a threat."

"Ah but that is the problem now. The NUKPANA have found and captured someone with the ability to harness its energies by trapping power within it."

Ryu raises his head as his eyes widen.

_Kureha….._

Joseph turns his attention to Ryu catching his sudden change of face, "I presume it must be someone that you know. Such power can only come from the likes of the Hayabusa clan."

Ryu finally speaks up in fluent English, "Is there any information you can give us about the location of the stone?"

Joseph nods in response and shifts his eyes to his master splicer, Irene. Irene reaches into her pocket to pull out small tablet computer. She places it on the ground and gestures everyone to sit down. After hitting a few more buttons at a fast pace an image of the Earth is displayed in hologram form.

Irene breaks the silence, "We have been tracking the Clairvoyance Stone for some time now. It is constantly moved from one place to another after you had retrieved it per your instructions Master Hayabusa years ago."

Irene types swiftly and the hologram enlarges to Japan, zooming onto Tokyo.

"The Museum of Natural History in New York City now possesses it and is transporting it overseas to Tokyo as we speak."

Irene continues, "It will be here tonight but we have no doubt that the NUKPANA know this as they have been tracking it for some time as well."

Irene presses a button and the computer zooms in on a museum in Tokyo. Joseph speaks up,

"It will be dropped there through local trucking services and kept under high watch. However, there is a chance that the NUKPANA will strike first and attempt to steal it from under our noses. That is why." Joseph turns to Jo Hayabusa.

"We need your help Master Hayabusa."

Jo considers and replies seconds later, "What will you have us do?"

Joseph smiles compliantly, "To put it simply, that truck must reach its destination in one piece. It will arrive in the city in a couple of hours and there is no doubt in my mind that the NUKPANA will attempt to steal it first."

Jo looks at Ryu and the two nod to each other before returning their attention back to Joseph and his team.

"Very well. We will help."

"Excellent. We shall take our leave then."

The group begins to head out. Before leaving, The unspoken wingman Leonard approaches Ryu and Jo Hayabusa with two small devices.

"Here take these. These are Bluetooth radios allowing us to communicate with you if need be. Press the buttons on the ear piece and we will hear you."

He hands the two the devices. "We will notify you of any changes should they occur." Leonard bows respectively and accompanies his subordinates out the door.

Jo Hayabusa places his communicator near his belongings and begins to gather them.

"Gather your gear and rendezvous outside the village gate. No one must know about this, we will finish and return Kureha in one piece."

Ryu nods in response and runs outside to grab his ninja gear.

**_Location: Unknown  
A couple of hours earlier.._**

_A man sits on marble stone in the middle of a lavishly decorated throne room clad only in slacks and training boots. His upper torso is coated in sweat and drips down to dampen the sash that is tied to his side. His black, spiky, shoulder length hair obscures his eyes from view as he sits in deep concentration with his eyebrows creased and arms folded._

"_Release me please!" A pleading voice is heard from across the room. The man opens his eyes, revealing golden irises and gazes at the disruptor of his deep concentration from the corner of his eye. In the corner of the room sits Kureha, shackled, her long hair in a mess and her shrine maiden attire in tatters from her capture, and most likely, resistance._

"_Quiet woman, or I will silence you myself. You have interrupted me for the last time. I have been lenient with you in allowing you to stay here. Either shut your mouth or I will give you to the men and they will do whatever they please with you." The man smirked. Kureha's eyes widened in response and disgust to what he was implying. _

"_You do not know the severity of your actions.."_

_The man simply closes his eyes uninterested in the woman's chatter. However, once more he is interrupted._

_A door is swung ajar and a scrawny looking man clad in long red robes and a magical staff walks into the room._

"_Master Makai. The men are ready to move at your command." _

"_Good." 'Makai rises from his place on the floor and begins to dress in his combat attire. After he is fully dressed he lazily walks to the front of the room and stands in the center in silence. Subsequently he takes a deep breath and after a few moments of hesitancy, he suddenly claps his hands together. As he begins to separate his hands, an orb of light begins to form; it grows in size emitting a reddish blue hue with black lightning dancing around it. Makai's face is concealed by a black leather mask but his aura screams smug as his servant watches in awe._

"_Excellent. After years of preparation, the power to control the stone is now within my grasp." He looks up at his servant._

"_Have the fools been given their reward for their loyalty?"_

_The man smirks predatorily, "Oh yes. They have been well rewarded for helping us."_

"_Good. Order the attack. No doubt they will be waiting for us."  
_

**_Location: Sky City Tokyo  
Ryu and Jo Hayabusa POV_**

Ryu and Jo Hayabusa appear as mere shadows, leaping from rooftop to rooftop towards the museum at a fast pace. Jo's headset communicator buzzes.

"This is Jo Hayabusa go ahead."

Irene can be heard on the other line, "Hayabusa, the truck is 5 minutes away from its destination. Guards are on active duty patrolling the perimeter. Please stay low and act as backup, we don't want to draw any unnecessary attention."

"I understand." Jo presses the button on his communicator to turn it off. Both ninja land gracefully on one knee of the rooftop of a building.

"This must be the place."

The Hayabusa Ninja scan the area and find it still booming with crowds of people. Some are closing up shop for the night and leaving but nonetheless, there are still quite a number left. Ryu's eyes narrow.

"Father. There are too many innocents here. Should conflict occur we must end it quickly."

"Indeed."

Jo and Ryu glance across the street and spot guards positioned at the entrance of the museum. They seem to be carrying quite the heavy artillery. Rifles, shotguns, pistols.

A large blue coloured van speedily arrives at the scene and parks up next to the curb of the building. A woman news reporter and a camera crew arrive to videotape the excess guard stationed near the museum.

Ryu sighs clearly annoyed at the large sum of people. He turns to look at his father and notices that he is still calculating the area. Ryu strikes up conversation to pass the time, "They seem to be quite concerned about protecting the Clairvoyance stone. Father what is it anyway? I have only heard stories but nothing in detail."

Jo Hayabusa remains motionless still scouting the area, but nonetheless begins his explanation.

"The Clairvoyance stone is an artifact of immense power. Such power, was never meant to exist on this plane. It acts as an energy locator, stretching as far as other dimensions. Once a powerful energy diverts its attention, the stone will seek it out on its own and attempt to absorb it so it may become even more powerful."

"Wait. You said on its own, does the stone have a will of its own?"

"I suppose in some sense it does. It is more like instinct; the stone desires to be near strong energy so it will possess any poor fool to accomplish such a feat. The wielder must be extraordinary powerful himself otherwise he will be killed and absorbed by the stone. That is why I had the power drained and sealed so that it can diminish and disappear from the world for good. It is a curse upon this world and should never have been brought."

Ryu raised an eyebrow, "Brought?"

Ryu studies his Father's face for an answer but he does not respond.

"Another time. It looks like the truck has arrived."

Below, the Hayabusa Ninja watch as the truck arrives and parks on the side of the road. The driver gets out and opens the back of the truck while his passenger begins to unload the truck to carry everything inside. The soldiers scattered around the museum watch anxiously for an attack, but everything seems quiet and they lower their defenses. Back on the rooftop, Jo Hayabusa turns on his communicator.

"This is Jo Hayabusa. The truck is on schedule perfectly intact. There are no signs of an attack from what we can see so far."

Joseph replies on the other line, "Excellent. Please keep watch and notify us if anything changes."

"Understood, Hayabusa out."

Ryu's head suddenly shoots up. His eyes begin to dart around in search of something. Jo notices the change in his son's countenance.

"What is it?"

"Do you feel that?"

Jo closes his eyes to sense any malicious energies and sure enough, there seems to be a strong one, drawing closer and closer. Ryu narrows his eyes, "That power, where is it coming from-"

"AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!"

A scream is heard echoing down the street. The Hayabusa Ninja trace it back and find that it is one of the truck delivery workers. He holds his head in pain leaning against the side of the truck for support. His colleague instantly runs to his side and drops a hand on his soldier to inquire about his well-being. Horrifically, the man's scream begins to distort, as his shirt rips off and his skin begins to melt, revealing a scaly, scrawny, humanoid creature, with multiple eyes, sharp canines, and long talons. The large crowd of people screams in terror and attempts to flee, the man's colleague attempting the same. However, he is not given a chance for escape before he is instantly impaled and lifted up, where the creature rips his body into two halves, tossing them aside. The Hayabusa Ninja are instantly on the scene, dropping down from the rooftops with their hands on their sword. The creature notices their arrival and watches them with each eye. It then attacks seconds later dashing at a fast speed towards Ryu. Ryu sidesteps with ease and slashes it across the back. As the fiend staggers towards the veteran Dragon Ninja, he deftly cleaves the beast in two with a horizontal slash of batto-jutsu. The slash is so fast that it appears as if he made no motion at all in slaying his enemy.

"Good riddance." Ryu whips his Dragon Blade clean of blood and returns it to its sheath.

Jo scans the area and proclaims, "No doubt there are more coming."

Multiple screams are heard following Jo's proclamation. In the distance, the museum guards are seen taken in by the curse and turned into purple fiends. They rush to the fray and begin attacking helpless innocents. Ryu and Jo Hayabusa instantly rush to save as many lives as they can, jumping and slashing the purple colored beasts with ease.

"It's a fiend!" "I'm getting out of her-GAUH" "No p-please NO!"

"Keiji are you getting this!" The reporter and cameraman that were seen earlier remain on the scene to attempt to get the latest scoop.

"Yeah yeah but I think we shou-"

"Shut up and start rolling." The short brown haired woman dusts off her skirt and puts on a fallacious smile before holding the microphone up to begin her narration of the scene.

"This is Tomiko Van reporting live from outside the History Museum in Sky City Tokyo where an unnatural force seems to have transformed the guard int-" The reporter is unable to finish her sentence as a shuriken is sent sailing into the camera completely rendering it useless.

"What the!? Who the hell did that!?"

Keiji frowns and shrugs before pointing behind the reporter.

A loud thump is heard as someone lands behind the two. "Get out of here quickly! It is not safe!" Ryu arrives on the scene and removes his mask annoyed and angry at the two for continuing to stay. The reporter Tomiko angrily turns around about give the Dragon Ninja a piece of her mind.

"Listen you! I'm not about t-" However, her breath hitches in her throat when she catches sight of the youthful shinobi.

Ryu calms (Somehow even though there is a massacre going on behind him) and begins again, "Please leave, I cannot guarantee your safety should you choose to stay." Tomiko nods slowly with a blush covering her face before grabbing Keiji and taking leave. Ryu clears the area, allowing them and many others to flee.

"Go now quickly!" He urges the people.

Try as he might, there were simply too many people, yet…too many fiends….?

_Wait a minute…There were 12 guards. I am certain we have slain over 12 by now. Unless…, someone is summoning them! But who and where?_

Ryu's eyes darted around attempting to pick up any ki signals. However, he could not find any.

_Whoever it is, he is adept at shielding his energy… _

Ryu decides that the trump card must be unveiled. He appears before his Father after he finishes slashing a foe off of an innocent bystander.

"There are too many. We must call for reinforcements."

Jo nods agreeingly, "I'll alert the Hayabusa village."

"HAHAHAHA!" A laugh is heard and instantly the fighting stops. The two Hayabusa ninja observe the fiends as they stand completely immobile. Luckily fortune smiles upon them as the rest of the innocents are then given time to escape. Footsteps can be heard in the distance, getting louder and closer with every step. Eventually, a man clad in red carrying a staff in his left hand emerges.

"Well it seems you fools have had quite the handful here!"

Jo narrows his eyes, "You conjurer! Is this your doing?"

The bald necromancer chuckles darkly and smirks, "Of course. Humans are weak and need to be made to drop their inhibitions so they can live like gods!"

Ryu grips his sword once more for the next firefight, "You psychopath. You will be put in your place for enslaving these people."

"Oh don't you worry, this is just the tip of the iceberg my young friend. There are more to come."

Ryu's eyes widen. The necromancer points a finger at the Hayabusa ninjas and the fiends obey their masters whims.

"KILL THEM!"

_Round Two DING DING_

The Hayabusa Ninjas grip their swords in response as they are charged from every angle. The two ninjas split from their back to back position avoiding slashing from fiend claws and legs deftly. Ryu flips forward and throws shuriken at a group of three fiends, stunning them momentarily. He then follows up with a destruction straight slash directly through the three at lightning speed, chopping their heads off instantly. More fiends charge from the distance and so Ryu combos one, subsequently launching it into the air with a number of horizontal and vertical slashes and then bringing it down with an old traditional Izuna drop, the impact killing the rest. On another note, Jo Hayabusa has his own set of enemies to deal with. In response, he leaps into the air and the fiends follow pursuit. As a fiend approaches, Jo shifts his center of gravity and dodges in the opposite direction, slashing at his back in the process. Another fiend attacks from behind to where he ducks and stabs the fiend, impaling him like a shishkabab, and then throwing him into his brethren. Jo sheathes his sword and pulls out incendiary shuriken. He taunts the fiends as they dash towards him. Using traditional Hayabusa style ninjutsu, Jo smashes his fists into his enemies, sticking incendiary shuriken into them when he feels they have had enough. They are blown into pieces as a result.

As he watches the Fiends getting decimated, The Necromancer grits his teeth in anger.

"More…"

More fiends begin to spawn in response to the Necromancer's seething anger. By now the Hayabusa have worked up a sweat, killing countless numbers of high class fiends that no ordinary human could withstand. Ryu and Jo decide to put an end to this before it really escalates out of control. They both begin to charge an ultimate Dragon Ninja Ninpo technique. A red dragon spawns from Ryu's ninpo, and a blue spawns from Jo's. After concentrating enough energy and chanting the incantation, the Hayabusa ninjas believe it is time.

"RYU NOW!"

"HAA!"

Both exclaim and fire the blast. The two dragons swarm around them in opposite directions as the blast radius begins to enlarge. The unlikely victims caught in the blast are incinerated upon impact, screaming in horror as the heat melts the flesh off their bones. As the smoke of the aftermath clears, the block is essentially fiend-less, not to mention a chunk of it is destroyed and wreathed in flames.

The Hayabusa Ninja calm, and regain their center as they survey their surroundings.

"HAHAHA! I must admit. You two are quite the pain to eliminate. No matter! Look around you fools! Our master had transformed everyone in your entire city to do his bidding! Perhaps you can survive the beasts I conjure, but can you survive the rest of the city!?"

Jo Hayabusa speaks up, "Where is your master!? Tell the coward to show himself! I'll face him personally!"

"Oh he has been expecting you Hayabusa Ninja. By now, he has already acquired the Clairvoyance stone and even utilized its energies! You are too late!"

Ryu narrows his eyes but never takes his eyes off the Necromancer, "Father. You should head back to the village and alert the clan. The entire city is under attack. We are going to need all the help we can get."

"Very well. Don't slip up. We are counting on you to return the stone." Jo Hayabusa nods and leaps backwards, disappearing in a swirl of green and brown leaves.

"Take me to your master. I wish to see his power myself."

The Necromancer chuckles, "Of course, I will enjoy watching you die."

Ryu narrows his eyes.

"We shall see."

**Well what do you think? A little early for Ryu to be saving the world eh? Well he's 16 here. Anyway, leave comments and feedback if you want more! Peace!**

_**SAFER WUZ HERE**_


	4. Chapter 4: Fateful Confrontation

**_Ninja Gaiden: Legendary_**

Chapter 4: Fateful Confrontation

As Ryu nears the inevitable confrontation with the head of the NUKPANA, the world around him begins to distort. An eerie indescribable feeling lingers in the air; something completely unnatural, as if the energies of the world seem to overwrite the Dragon Ninja out of existence. Although slightly anxious, he knew what he must do. The power of then Clairvoyance stone is an abomination; a curse rather than a gift to man. And now a psychopath had acquired the artifact and placed the entire plane of existence in jeopardy.

_My first official mission. And already the world is depending on me... No matter, I must fulfill my duties as Dragon Ninja, regardless of the outcome._

Ryu finds no time to linger on these feelings as he finally reaches his destination, courtesy of his enemy of course.

"Go to your demise fool. I will enjoy this greatly." After his taunt, the Necromancer vanishes, leaving Ryu in a dark corridor. The Dragon Ninja's strides become hesitant as he maneuvers through the pitch black of the corridor. Eventually, his eyes begin to capture traces of light. The air also seems to have its own gravitational pull from the direction of the light, causing a slight feeling of bittersweet lethargy.

Eventually, Ryu arrives at his destination, a door permeating with radiant energy in front of him; the hinges are coated in a luminescent golden light. With a deep sigh, Ryu prepares to grab the hand to open the door.

_It is tim-_

"Sssss-AAh!" The Dragon Ninja rapidly squints his eyes and grips his head, hissing in sudden pain.

_What was that…? _Ryu questions in thought. After the migraine shifts to a slight throb, his eyes return to the matter at hand.

_Must be the clairvoyance's stones power… No matter._

The Dragon Ninja narrows his eyes in determination and begins to open the door to meet his challenge. Immediately, a bright light envelops him and temporarily takes away his vision.

"So you have come at last dragon cub."

As Ryu's eyes adjust to the light, he spots the man of the hour himself sitting on an invisible space of air with his back to the Dragon Ninja. He is clad in red-combat armor and has a long black broadsword attached to his back. He appears to be wearing a dark hood, concealing any trace of his true being from sight. Ryu's eyes trace the room, more notably lingering on the multi coloured energies that transiently coat the enclosed area. The lights cycle around the room, before returning to the NUKPANA master and then repeating the process erratically.

"Give me the stone and no harm will come to you." Ryu declared vehemently.

The red-clad armored man chuckles in response. "Is that so?"

_This is it._

The NUKPANA master begins to turn from his place facing the wall. He then lowers himself to the ground with his arms folded as his amber eyes never leave Ryu, watching him like a hawk. Ryu grips his sword in anticipation as he lowers the hood of his red-combat armor.

"As you may already know, I am the leader of the NUKPANA. My name is Makai." Makai has now fully lowered his mask showing a pale skinned youthful face. His wild dark-blue hair sprouts out in every direction, cascading down his neck.

"I will give you one final warning. The power you possess is completely unfathomable. It is a hazard to all of existence!"

Makai rears his head back and chuckles.

"But that's the thrill! We humans have been denied such luxury from the pathetic dragon gods for too long! In fact, didn't the very gods you fools worship become corrupted in their own manner?"

Ryu scowls angrily in response.

"If your own gods cannot even control themselves we're does that leave their offspring?"

"You will regret saying that." Ryu unsheathes the Dragon Blade and prepares for battle.

Makai scoffs, "Will I now? Don't be a fool. I can see it in your eyes Hayabusa."

"What!?"

Makai stares at Ryu in a calculating manner, "Oh yes. I see you have tasted the very power your kind despises. I can sense your internal struggle. Just give in." He smirks and cracks the bones in his neck, "I promise the reward is greater than anything you could ever imagine."

Ryu's eyes narrow, "Shut up! That is none of your damn business!".

Makai shrugs nonchalantly, "Hmph. Very well. If you will not listen to reason, then perhaps I can show you power not even the Dragon Gods could control!".

The wind begins to pick up and the erratic energies of the room surround Makai. The psychotic NUKPANA leader cackles loudly as the godlike power of the Clairvoyance stone radiates through him.

"HAHAHAHA! MY POWER IS WITHOUT RIVAL!".

Ryu's eyes widen as the energies surrounding Makai expand and tear away at the walls holding the room together. The power shoots up like a rocket above the NUKPANA leader and completely shatters the building's ceiling. The Dragon Ninja reflexively dodges the falling rubble with graceful flips and spins until the destruction dies down. The building has now completely collapsed exposing the two warriors to the night air. Ryu surveys his surroundings and notices that the color of the sky has changed; it is now purplish red. Lightning crackles and jolts through the overhanging clouds as the unnatural and devastating powers of the Clairvoyance stone have accepted Makai as its master.

Makai calms as the energies focus around him and form his aura. Ryu readies the Dragon Blade and assumes a wider stance, stretching his legs in the process.

"You will die here tonight" Makai smirks and takes an open palmed stance.

Ryu teleports to Makai with lightning speed using his traditional "Blink" technique. As he prepares to slash, the NUKPANA master easily sidesteps and sways his hand, swatting the Dragon Ninja aside. Ryu kips up and starts a running pace, throwing multiple shuriken at his foe. Makai forms an energy shield stopping the shuriken in mid-air; he then multiplies the shuriken by adding his own energy, and fires them back at Ryu.

"Oh sh-"

Makai chuckles as Ryu struggles to dodge the almost unlimited amount of shuriken redirected at him.

"This is it? The pathetic Dragon Gods have entrusted you fools to protect this world? What a laugh!"

As stamina begins to wear him down, Ryu begins to take slight damage. Makai eventually stops his onslaught and looks amusedly at the Dragon Ninja.

"Show me your true power!" Makai removes the broadsword attached to his back and charges Ryu unexpectedly. Ryu raises his Dragon Blade to challenge his foe's weapon. The two lock eyes; One a glare and one in amusing contempt.

"You are too weak!" The two break away and begin a flurry of counter slashes, each trying to find an opening to strike but easily swatted away in reciprocity.

The two eventually pull away and stare each other down. Ryu heavily breathes to refill his lungs with stamina whilst his opponent looks on with discontent.

"What makes you think you can control a power not even the gods could control!? There is a reason our creators despised its very existence!"

Makai sighs and shakes his head disappointedly. "Ha. You, a mere child are questioning me about control!? Get over yourself Dragon cub. Perhaps you can begin talking like a man a few years from now, but until then you are, and will remain, a useless fool."

The NUKPANA master begins to slowly raise a finger in front of his face, "This is quite the bore. I will give you one last chance to hit me with everything you got", he closes his fist suddenly, "and then its lights out Dragon Ninja".

_Damn it! I was hoping not to resort to this. Putting everything I have into this attack will surely kill me, unless…..yes that should work…. But only this time! _

Ryu narrows his eyes. "Very well then."

The Dragon Ninja grunts and then folds his hands with his two fingers overlapping; he then begins his meditative chant as he gathers energy.

"RoooooooaAAAAAAAAHHHHH!" A radiant blue aura bursts into existence around his frame and shoots up and around in a sporadic manner.

"Rin! Pyo! To! Sha! Kai! Chin! Retsu! Zai! Zen!" He finishes his chant by jumping into the air and thrusting his hands backward and forming a cup to gather energy.

_Here I go!_

Makai traces the Dragon Ninja with his eyes . "RoooooooaooooaaaaaaaaHHHHH!" Ryu fires the blast towards his opponent. The blue and gold blaze of energy completely overwhelms the sky with bolts of electricity.

The blast directly hits Makai causing the NUKPANA master to scream in pain.

"W-What! Impossible!" The blast eventually consumes Makai and an explosion of colossal magnitude ensues. The shockwave travels, ripping off stone, dirt, rocks and even small cars alike.

Electricity crackles across the entire land after it finally fades into clear sight. Makai is nowhere to be seen. Ryu, completely spent by his final attack, collapses on both knees, sweat dripping off his brow.

"Yes…pant….pant…..I have done it… and as expected I have not perished….looks like that abomination refuses to abandon me still".

Ryu sighs in frustration, "Damn it…!" When he finally regains his strength, Ryu stands straight up and spots his enemies broken broadsword. He walks over and begins to inspect it.

"Perhaps I should take this to Father as a token...?" Ryu's eyes furrow as he contemplates his next action. Suddenly, his communicator buzzes, startling him from his stupor.

"This is Ryu Hayabusa, what is it?"

Irene can be heard on the other line sounding anxious and concerned, "Ryu, what's been going on over there!? The city is crawling with fiends! Your people seem to have the situation under control but we are assisting anyway we can"

"That won't be required, although thanks for the effort. I have defeated the leader of operation and will retu-UH"

The unsuspecting Dragon Ninja is impaled by an invisible force and hoisted into the air.

Slowly a harsh cacophony of metallic whistling sounds begins to resonate and a sword begins to materialize, sprouting from Ryu's chest and covered in his blood.. Ryu follows its reconstruction with his eyes before shockingly discovering it trailing to a figure.

"HAHAHAHAHA!"

"W-what?"

Makai stands perfectly unscathed.

"Surprised?" Makai imaples the Dragon Ninja deeper with a grunt.

"GAaAAGUH", Ryu coughs blood, dropping the Dragon Blade in response, his eyes wide in horrific shock. Makai holds him in place with one arm on his broadsword.

"How does it feel? Knowing your victory to be nothing more than a figment of your imagination?"

Ryu gives no response and continues to cough in pain and agony.

"I said…." Makai impales Ryu even further "HOW DOES IT FEEL?"

The Dragon Ninja cracks open an eye, the colour has changed to a yellowish hue, "_F-Fuck you_"

Makai scowls while reaching up and ripping the Dragon Ninja's mask off of his head.

"I want to see your face. The horror in your eyes as I take everything from you."

Makai swings his sword with ferocity, causing his victim to fly onto a cold stone wall. Ryu coughs out blood harshly at instant impact and slowly slides down, leaving a ragged dark red trail. He attempts to cling onto consciousness, but his eyelids become heavy and his vision blurry, preventing any clarity or hope of doing so.

Makai chuckles malevolently before stretching his arms above his head nonchalantly, "Let's see….First, I'm going to kill that wretched bitch that constantly gives me an earful. What was her name….uh…..Kureha?"

Ryu's dead green eyes widen.

"Then, I'm going to go to your village and rip your dear old papa apart with my bare hands"

"You bastard…."

"Speaking of your village, don't worry, I'll give that plenty of attention too. Then you and your kin can happily prance around like a bunch of fools, singing your words of godly praise in the afterlife! HAHAHAHAHA!"

_This can't be happening…_

BOOM!

A massive boot collides with the NUKPANA master's face, sending him crashing into a wall as he drops his sword.

"Is that a fact?"

Jo Hayabusa has arrived!

"D…d…ad" Ryu groans out gleefully.

Jo looks over to his son, "Don't move son. You are gravely injured."

Ryu suddenly gasps as he takes in a large amount of oxygen to feed his starving and gravely injured lungs. His eyes open and he subconsciously thinks.

_"You don't say you asshole?"_

_Who said that..?_

Suddenly, a large rumble quakes into existence. A large piece of rock is swatted aside revealing Makai who emerges unscathed brushing himself off.

"So the elder Hayabusa has made his appearance."

"That's right, and you're so called godlike powers did not save you from that attack just now."

Makai scoffs, "My apologies. I guess I was preoccupied making your cub into a shiskebab than paying attention to my surroundings for a moment."

Jo Hayabusa angrily grits his teeth and clenches his fist, "You piece of trash! You will pay for hurting my son!"

"Hmph. Well then, how about we settle this with an old fashioned fisticuffs?" Makai cracks his fingers and readies himself in a stance.

"Fool. I'm not here to spar with you"

Jo Hayabusa unsheathes the Dragon Sword.

"However, you may do so regardless"

After a few moments of silence, the two masters begin their battle, opening with an all-out flurry of slashes and punches.

Ryu struggles to stay awake. He lies in a pool of his own blood and his ninja garb is in tatters from Makai's relentless beating. Eventually his eyelids become too heavy, and he succumbs to darkness…

Thump….thump….thump…..

The sound of a slow distinct heartbeat can be heard, slowly echoing in the midst.

The fighting is barely audible in the background.

Thump….thump…..thump…..

**_"Hehehehe"_**

_W-wh-o-se, t-there?_

**_"Your FaaaAther has sent you to your DeeeaAAAthh…."_**

…!

S-shut up…just stay away from me you f-filth.

**_"Hmhmhm…use my power….or DIIIIIIIIEEEEEE!"_**

…

**_"EmbrAAacCCE the DAAAaaarRRKNESS! Ryu…"_**

**_…_**

"But you'll die!" a childlike voice echoes…

**_….._**

_"Do it. Don't fuck this up or we'll all die"._

Ryu's eyes snap open; they appear pupil-less. His body continues to remain immobile from the point when he was struck down by Makai's devastating technique. Eventually a red aura begins to gather around his figure.

"Oh come on! I expected more from the leader of the Hayabusa ninja clan!" Makai swings and Jo Hayabusa retaliates with numerous backflips.

"Don't think that we will simply let you walk out of here with that stone". He wipes the sweat off his brow.

"That kind of power doesn't belong to the likes of you, nor can you control it".

Makai scoffs, "You hypocritical fool. I have spent decades harnessing the power to control the stone. It is within my grasp, a power your own kind sealed because of succumbing to darkness". Makai sheathes his weapon, suddenly smirking and averting his eyes elsewhere.

"Speaking of which"

Jo Hayabusa's eyes narrow, as he follows Makai's line of sight…to Ryu. Jo Hayabusa looks at the state of his son before the realization sets in. His eyes widen in horror.

"RYU! NOOO!"

_Que Lamb of God – Walk With Me in Hell Instrumental_

But his plea reaches deaf ears. Ryu opens his mouth and lets loose a roar so powerful that the world itself seems to quake. His canines begin to sharpen and slowly grow in length. His fingers also grow into sharp talons and his skin colour changes to an azure blue. He crawls forward onto his fours as his ninja garb is torn to shreds from the growth of his transformation. The Dragon Ninja rears his head back suddenly, and bones begin to protrude from his skin, coating his body in a skeleton like armor.

"RYU!" Jo Hayabusa rushes to his son's side.

"RYU LISTEN TO ME! DON'T LET THE DARKNESS OVERCOME YOU! I KNOW THAT YOU DESIRE POWER BUT YOU MUST STOP! THIS ISN'T THE WAY!"

The young Dragon Ninja turns his head to his Father. The head Hayabusa's blood turns cold as he realizes that he cannot detect a trace of humanity left in the demonic eyes of his beloved son.

Jo Hayabusa backflips to widen the distance between himself and the monstrosity that was once a proud shinobi. He unsheathes his sword to prepare for the worst yet to come.

Ryu averts his eyes down lowers his head, revealing a hardened beast like jaw encased in a bone like head covering; the casing reaching to just above his brow then pointing behind his head. Even though his transformation is quite an eyeful the real distinction lies in his eyes; blood red and glowing, carrying no hint of a protector, but a destroyer. The wound in his chest is now fully healed as his transformation finishes.

"Well now isn't this a surprise" Makai applauds Ryu's transformation amusedly.

"Bravo. Bravo." He walks over to Ryu's still crouching form, "But you'll have to do better than tha-"

A large fist comes crashing into the NUKPANA master's jaw before he can finish his sentence, causing him to fly through the air and come crashing into the ground.

"RAAHAHAUAAUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUGHG HHHHHHHHH"

"Why you little shit. You're gonna regret doing that!"

Makai bursts into supersonic speed and charges the fiend Ryu. The corrupted shinobi meets him head on with a clash of fists, causing a massive tremor that shatters the windows of buildings and quakes the city streets.

Jo Hayabusa constantly remains focused on the fight at hand. Even though the two are moving at indistinguishable speeds, parrying and slashing at each other, the clan leader never loses sight of them. His son is at a level now where he could very well slaughter everyone. He is reluctant to engage the battle and fears that only the NUKPANA master can bring him to his senses. If smashing him into oblivion is the outcome, than it is indeed a just cause.

Makai and Fiend Ryu break away from their fighting and stare each other down.

"Hahaha how exciting! You see what I mean dragon cub? This is the power that you have foolishly rejected. Do you realize what it can do for you?"

Ryu cracks his neck and claws. Surprisingly, the demonic shinobi grins and begins to speak, "**_You pathetic insect! You're life has come to its end…. I will kill you with haste but great pleeAAASUre!_**"

"So it speaks! Haha very well, a silent fight is a boring fight! Show me your true power devil incarnate!"

Before the two can resume fighting, a chopper emerges from below the buildings, opposite the destroyed museum top. Irene can be seen sitting on the passenger side with a megaphone in her hand. A loud screeching is heard followed by incoherent mumbling as she uses the device.

"Jo Hayabusa! Clear out of there, we will assist you!"

After her loud exclamation, Irene readies a large caliber mounted turret and takes aim at the two deadlocked fighters.

Jo Hayabusa's eyes widen, "No! Stay out of the way! You will die!"

But the splicer pays no heed. Jo Hayabusa leaps out of the fray as Irene hammers away at Ryu and Makai. The two easily dodge at incomprehensible speeds, leaving mirages of their persons behind. Irene eventually runs out of ammo, shockingly clicking away but to no avail.

Makai smirks and prepares to strike down the chopper. However, he is swiped aside by Fiend Ryu who walks casually to the edge of the rooftop. Irene's eyes widen to the eyes of saucers as she witnesses the monstrosity the likes of which she has only seen in her nightmares.

"**_Annoying woman! Looking for an early retiIIIREMENT_**?"

The two lock eyes. Irene is paralyzed in fear as the blood red eyes stare into her soul and make her insides churn. But it is at the precipice, that moment in time, that Irene notices something in the beasts eyes..

Sorrow…

The realization dawns upon her unconsciously.

_This….why do I believe that this is…it can't be!_

As if reading her thoughts, Fiend Ryu chuckles malevolently. Within the blink of an eye, he casually lifts an arm and the chopper is split in half. The chopper is instantly blown to pieces along with its inhabitants. Unbeknownst to Ryu and Makai, an azure apparition darted towards the chopper just in time to save one life.

Jo Hayabusa distanced himself from the fighting and placed the unconscious Irene on the ground.

The clan leader scowls, "Disgraceful. Absolutely disgraceful" before "blinking" back to the fray.

The two have already resumed fighting. Makai punches the corrupted shinobi, who then flies through a building and out the other end before planting into the window of another. Makai then teleports within range and fires homing waves of energy. Ryu regains his bearings and pushes off of the shattered glass, dodging in the air with a graceful like ballet.

"Nice try!" Makai zooms in on his prey, preparing to deliver a haymaker to his side. But Ryu suddenly vanishes.

"What!?"

He re-appears and uppercuts Makai into the sky. He then blinks to his skyrocketing body before delivering a punishing backflip kick to his solar plexus. Makai coughs saliva and catapults towards the Earth. Before plunging into the ground, he recovers, holding on to the walls of buildings, as they crumble from his slowing speed.

The NUKPANA master closes his eyes and breathes deeply, before sharply exhaling and smirking at Fiend Ryu, who stands in the distance on a rooftop looking amused.

"Well now! It seems I have grossly underestimated your skills Hayabusa! No matter! It appears I will have to use a fraction of my true power after all!"

Makai prepares to once again head into the fray before a disembodied voice stops him.

**_Kill him now_**

_What?_

Makai has no time to question the voice as a massive influx of energy floods his brain.

"RAAAAAAAAAAH!" The NUKPANA master screams in pain.

"You worthless scum! I will rip your heart out!"

Makai blasts off with fury and punches Ryu in the face. The demonic entity spins through the air before being smashed down, through the building with a hammer blow. Ryu gets back on his feet and readies himself.

"**Finally! Show me the stReeenGTH of this pathetic pebBBLLE you call pooWWWWEr!**"

However, before the demon can once again enjoy a fruitful fight. He screams in agony as his right arm is ripped from his body. Ryu drops to his bone-ified knee waiting for the sudden rush of adrenaline to null the pain.

"Hehehe. Sorry my friend. But it was fun while it lasted!"

Jo Hayabusa continues to watch the battle from afar, sickened and horrified at the situation. All thoughts of the ninja way now leave him. He prepares to aid his lson but stops when he notices a slight tremor in the Earth. The head clansman looks to his right and notices the Dragon Blade, left in the pool of blood that Ryu once inhabited moments ago. It glows bright blue and vibrates slowly.

"The Dragon Blade…" Jo Hayabusa runs over to pick it up. With subconscious confirmation he states.

"I understand"

The blood pouring from Ryu's wound gradually begins to slow as the bone like skeleton covering his body begins to grow and appear more pronounced. His body is once again undergoing a revolting transformation.

_KILL HIM!_

"Say goodbye!" Makai exclaims.

"GAUAUUAAGH"

Suddenly, a large glob of blood is spat into the air by the corrupted shinobi. A glimmering sword is seen protruding from his torso. Makai's eyes widen in disbelief as he notices the wielder to be none other than Ryu's father. Jo Hayabusa.

A period of silence and disbelief falls.

Slowly, Ryu's closes his eyes in pain and shifts his head to find the preparator. He opens his eyes and realizes that it's his Father.

"D…..Dad".

Jo Hayabusa looks in heart wrenching sorrow at his son, but notices that his eyes have shifted to an emerald green!

"Ryu! I'm…I'm so-"

"T-thank you"

The elder clansman's voice is caught in his throat as his eyes widen.

Suddenly, a tidal wave of blue energy engulfs Ryu, blowing Makai and Jo away. The Dragon Blade continues remain etched into Ryu's torso but his demonic skin begins to disintegrate.

Makai prepares another attack, unaware of the circumstances before the disembodied voice stops him again.

_Leave him. It is time to retreat._

Makai scowls but obeys reluctantly. He turns and walks away, raising an arm and conjuring a portal.

"This is not over you fools"

The NUKPANA master disappears into the void.

Jo focuses his attention on Ryu. The young dragon cub has once again returned to his original glory. However, the gaping hole in his stuck where the Dragon Blade has pierced him remains. He gradually opens his eyes and turns his head to his Father before smiling...

"I'm sorry"

The Dragon Ninja vanishes...

"RYU!"

.

.

.

A long bright tunnel of opaque colors is seen, clouding Ryu's vision.

"What…..is going on…." He lazily states.

"Where am I…?"

Suddenly, he feels a burning sensation on his right leg. Ryu's eyes manage to focus as he realizes that a dark shadow is grabbing onto his leg.

"Get….offf…..meee! gAAAUUUUGH" Ryu coughs blood as he realizes that he has still been injured.

As he continues to struggle, he notices a bright white light at the end of the tunnel.

He travels through it and numbing silence replaces sound

Little by little, sounds can be heard, slowly escalating in decibels.

The sounds are made out to be screams and yells.

Ryu opens his eyes and notices that he is in a village of some kind. But he finds no time to linger as he realizes that the denizens of the village are under attack. Ryu looks down and finds the sword still impaling him. He grips the hilt from his back and pulls it out with some pressure, grunting in pain. Then the realization sets in.

_Wait. My arm! It's back!?_

A baby's crying returns Ryu to his senses.

_It's time I put it to use!_

A woman and her child are backed into a corner as fiends resembling the ones he had faced before prepare to slaughter them. Ryu grabs the fiend from behind, hurling it back and into the air. He then follows with a destruction straight slash carving it into pieces where it disintegrates.

He walks over to the brown haired woman and her child before asking, "Are you alright?"

"Yes but you are hurt sir!"

"Don't worry about me, just stay hidden!"

Ryu then follows suit and destroys the remaining fiends with slight difficulty. He is thanks the Dragon Gods and finds that there were no casualties.

"GAAAUUUGGH" Ryu coughs blood and grunts in pain.

Murmurs can be heard in the crowd of villagers.

"Somebody help him!" "Who is this guy?" "Wow! That was so cool!"

He notices one voice in particular.

"Hey you! Stop right there!"

Ryu vaguely notices a man with a headband that dons a swirling leaf like symbol. There appear to be three other individuals but he cannot make them out.

The Dragon Ninja decides to escape the scene to not draw more attention than he already is. He dashes on top of the rooftops of the small buildings, barely making out anything but the path in front of him. Ryu hears clanking behind him, indicating that he is being followed. A voice in the distance shouts.

"Ino! Shikamaru! Choji! Go after him! I'll alert the hokage"

Ryu continues to sprint until he eventually reaches a large like gate. He swiftly passes through it before hearing a "Hey! Come back here!" from what he makes out to be guards of some kind. As he makes it into dense brush, blood continues to ooze out of his chest and his body begins to slowly shut down, decreasing his speed. Eventually, he slows to a staggering walk.

"D….Damn it". The Dragon Ninja falls flat on his face and slips into unconsciousness, hearing the faint pattering of shoes closing in on him.

**Whats up guys? Sorry for the long delay. I've had barely enough time to do anything these days because of college. I hope this long chapter made up for that and FINALLY. The crossover happened I know haha! Review and pass this on to all your friends!**

**Peace!**

**Safer**


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